Making beef jerky at home is something pretty easy to do. It's a process that you can get really creative with too, as the possibilities for marinating and seasoning, and even what you can turn into jerky, are endless!
Before you begin to make jerky, there are a few things you need to know. First of all, you may want to read our page on beef jerky risks to learn about any health risks you may encounter while preparing. Using a curing salt is a very good way to make sure the meat stays safe.
Making beef jerky is a fun project, but there are some things you may want to purchase before you begin to make your first batch. You can make jerky in your oven on low heat, but many jerky enthusiasts use a dehydrator. In fact, many people probably got into making jerky from purchasing a dehydrator of a late night infomercial! There are all different brands and capacities of dehydrators. You may also want to make sure you have some sharp knives, as you will learn that cutting meat while frozen is ideal. If you think you will be making a lot of jerky, you may want to invest in a mechanical slicer. Rival has a good model and so does Cabela's.
Other accessories you can purchase are drying racks, jerky shooters (guns for shaping ground meat), tiered jerky trays for the oven and jerky cubers.
Before you begin making beef jerky, you may also want to stock up on some ingredients. This would include a curing salt like sodium nitrite. Use one teaspoon of the cure per five pounds of meat. Aside from that, you may want to look up some recipes for ideas on what else to get. Usually salt, pepper and garlic powder are a given.
Then of course you will want to get the meat! Many jerky experts say the best meat to get is freshly cut beef top round. Your butcher or grocery meat department can even slice it for you into a 1/4" thickness. As noted above, freezing the meat will help with getting the perfect slices. It is recommended to do this about an hour before slicing. When you are ready to make the beef jerky, you will cut it into thin slices. Many say that slicing it against the grain makes for easier chewing.
After the meat is sliced, the beef jerky making process continues with seasoning. This is where we don't want to get specific because from here your recipe may take over. However, most recipes call for seasoning/curing on both sides and then refrigeration for up to a day.
When you are ready to "cook" the jerky there are various methods too. Some use an oven, some use a dehydrator and others go as far as a smokehouse. If using the oven, keep at 160 °F for about six hours. After it is dried in the oven at the proper temperature for the proper time the jerky should bend so it cracks a little but does not break. It should be dry, chewy and even a bit leathery.
To help your jerky last longer, store anything you are not going to eat right away in vacuum packed bags. The FoodSaver or a similar product works well. Because jerky lasts so well, making a big batch at one time is never a problem. This article really just provides the basics of making beef jerky at home, as there are so many recipes available that explain the process.
Remember that all meats are different! Pay close attention to temperature.
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